Culture Basis of Culture Culture knowledge language values
Culture
Basis of Culture � Culture- knowledge, language, values, customs, and physical objects passed from generation to generation
Basis of Culture � Society- group of people who live in a defined territory and participate in a common culture
Basis of Culture � Culture and Heredity � Instincts- genetically inherited (from mother and father in varied degrees) patterns of behavior � Heredity influences Behavior (reflexes and drives)
Basis of Culture � Sociobiology Study of biological basis of human behavior Combines Darwin(natural selection) and modern genetics Behaviors that best help people are biologically based and transmitted in the genetic code � Criticisms of Sociobiology Too much societal variation to apply theory Genetics could be used to label specific races superior or inferior
Symbols, Language, Culture � Symbols- things that stand for of represent something else Physical objects, Smells, sounds, tastes Actions
Symbols, Language, Culture Relationship of language and culture- way of passing experiences, ideas, knowledge
Sapir- Whorf Hypotheses � Language is guide to reality � Since cultures differ, language differs, perception differs � Importance of something to a society based on number of words used to describe it � Exposure to other languages can alter perception of world
Norms � Norms- rules by which we live � Defines appropriate/ inappropriate behavior � Varies by Culture
Folkways � Customary ways of thinking � Lack of moral overtones
Mores � Right vs. Wrong – based on morals � Taboo- violation of norm that demands punishment
Laws � Formally defined and enforced by officials (police, courts)
Material Culture � Concrete, tangible items (physical items) � Meaning based on beliefs, norms, and values
Real Culture vs. Ideal Culture � Real- Actual behavior patterns of society � Ideal- cultural guidelines publicly embraced by a society
Cultural Change �Why does a culture change? 1. Discovery- “finding” something that already exists 2. Invention- creation of something new 3. Diffusion- borrowing aspects of culture from other cultures
Cultural Diversity Social Categories � 1. Groups that share a social characteristic- age, gender, religion, etc. � 2. Subcultures- groups that are part of the dominant culture but differs from it in some important aspects (Chinatown in San Francisco, Little Italy in NY, Little Havana in Miami) � 3. Countercultures- groups that deliberately and consciously oppose certain central beliefs/ attitudes of dominant culture (goths, punks, hippies (etc. )
Cultural Universals �Cultural Universals- general cultural traits that exist in all cultures (sports, division of labor, education, etiquette, government, family, religion, etc. )
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